Anyone else have OCD-like symptoms?

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I've begun to notice that I have some OCD tendencies, especially when stressed. For instance, after a fight with my sister this morning, I was packing some sandwiches for a picnic lunch, and for some reason I HAD to make sure that all the sandwiches were placed in the plastic bags in the same direction, even though I knew it didn't actually matter. I also have a hard time not following instructions to the letter when cooking and stuff (again, especially when stressed) and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced similar things. (I really don't think this stuff is severe enough to warrant an actual OCD diagnosis, though.)

I do things like this, too. My mom put all my Gamecube and Wii games into a drawer, and I flipped them so that the Gamecube label is on the left on all of the disc cases and the Wii labels line up also. Whenever I set the table, I always pick out identical cups and plates, even though it doesn't matter if they match. I think it's more of an aesthetic issue rather than OCD. It makes me feel good to see things lined up or stacked the same way, so I feel compelled to make it happen. Craving order, structure, and sameness is supposedly an autistic trait.

Autism, ADHD, and OCD have quite a bit of overlap in symptoms.

I have had them my whole life from when I was about two I know of. My food needing to be served a certain way and to taking a certain step in each room. I remember always wanting the videotapes to face with the labels out and movie titles out and also in their categories like Disney movies together and Sing Along Sings together, etc, doors had to be closed not open, playing with my toys a certain way in the certain order each time and computer games too, my Barbies must have their pajamas on before I go to bed, I must have my Barbies with me before I go out. But there was no compulsion behind it or any bad thoughts behind it. I just liked it that way and preferred it. I also remember having a bow set my mom got me and I had to keep my bows on the plastic thing they came on when I wasn't using them. I had all these little rituals and I didn't know why I did it but all I know is they made me comfortable. But I remember it didn't feel right if it wasn't that way. But I also liked it. It's like an overlap with autism and OCD. Just right=OCD. Liking it and comfort=autism.

But I remember some true OCD symptoms like thinking my mattress was slipping off my bed so I would keep pushing against it and did it over and over before falling asleep and I had to do it to get that thought out of my head. Then it was pulling my sheets down because I didn't like them riding up and I didn't like a bunch of creases in the sheets because it was uncomfortable so I had to keep pulling the sheets down on my bed and I would keep repeating the ritual. I also remember getting a thought in my head and having to do it and I had to do it to get rid of that thought. These weren't pleasant thoughts or something I wanted or liked. But they have gotten me into trouble too as a child. Then I grew out of these compulsions and haven't dealt with them in years. Not since childhood or my teen years.

When I was a child I had a number of strange OCD-like things going on. I was afraid to say the word "yes" or to nod my head without fairly promptly cancelling it out by saying "no" or shaking my head, otherwise I thought something awful would happen. And if I touched my wrists or the part of my chest where my heart is (or any other part of my body I felt was particularly vulnerable, I would have to then touch the top of my head, to break the "spell" that would lead to heart disease or somehow bleeding to death through my wrists.

I still have a little bit of the touch thing, though nothing like as intensely, and it doesn't impact on my life significantly, but the "yes and no" thing has long gone. I have a strong liking for putting things in neat order, but there's no anxiety about it, if I'm feeling lazy then I don't bother.

I tend to compulsively check that doors are locked and my bank cards and keys haven't fallen out of my pockets, but those things don't fall into the realm of logical thinking, and I've seen a diagnosed OCDer doing his checking, and it looks a lot more fraught and anxious than my behaviour. There is something slightly nutty about the flash of panic I feel when I check the contents of my pockets, although an observer would have trouble noticing it (all I need to do do is quietly put my hand in my pocket or just tap it from the outside, I rally don't make a fuss), and if the pockets are properly designed (i.e. difficult for pickpockets and secure against stuff falling out when I'm reclining), I hardly bother at all. It's more like slightly exaggerated common sense than OCD. My parents were always rather wary of burglaries and losing important stuff, so I guess there's an upbringing factor.

I also have this thing when walking, to not step on cracks between pieces of concrete. Or if it's a rather large slab I'm standing on, I imagine the diagonals connecting opposite vertices and try not to step on those imaginary lines. I also like to take the same amount of steps in each slab of concrete. I think years of marching band made me do that even more.

I've always thought that autism comes with a free side of OCD... and coupons for a few other things as well.

I was told OCD was part of having Asperger's. I think what they were really saying was my OCD is caused by my Asperger's. I have read how autism can lead to someone having OCD and I can see how that can happen. Let's see, autistic people also get stuck, they worry, have a hard time moving on and getting over it when something bad happens such as a conflict, the need to do a routine or they get anxious if they don't do it. People with an ASD can still get therapy for their OCD.

I believe autism is a bunch of conditions all together.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive ... #Diagnosis

There are a few things here that perhaps suggest a difference between "real" OCD and whatever it is that Aspies do that resembles it:

"Such obsessions, the DSM says, are recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced as intrusive and that cause marked anxiety or distress."

"while many people who do not suffer from OCD may perform actions often associated with OCD (such as ordering items in a pantry by height), the distinction with clinically significant OCD lies in the fact that the person who suffers from OCD must perform these actions, otherwise they will experience significant psychological distress. These behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation"

Is Aspie "OCD" typically associated with dreaded events or situations? I suspect not, but I'm no expert.

Hello. I have been trying to get diagnosed with OCD because of how it impacts my life. I have intrusive thoughts that isn't at all related to autism. I get images, thoughts that are extremely violent, and I do not want them at all, so I have my compulsion to plug my ears, shake my head, close my eyes, and repeat the word "stop" or "go away" several times until is does finally go away.

Things that I link more to autism is that I have to shuffle a deck of cards 7 times and I have to pull paper towel dispenser 5 times.

My other OCD feature is when I become super stress, I start hand-washing badly. I have to wash my hands every 5-10 minutes because I feel something on my hands and I don't know what, but it feels disgusting. My act is to get rid of this gross feeling.

I definitely do. My mom believed I had OCD since I was very young. I would always organize my toys in specific ways and cry when people moved them.

I'm actually diagnosed with OCD, and it's the main reason I have a prescription for sertraline. Although ever since I've read about Pathological Demand Avoidance, I'm starting to think that my OCD traits are actually a part of this rather than OCD itself.

I think the main difference between autism and OCD with these behaviors is that in OCD, it's compulsive and driven by anxiety, whereas in autism, it's simply something that's pleasing and comforting.